Tibet Weekly Update – March 20, 2015

A listing of the top news developments in and around Tibet during the previous week.

ICT special report: Tibetan survivors of self-immolation: repression and disappearance

A new ICT report reveals how Tibetans who survived self-immolation have faced violent treatment and disappearance, with some families unaware of whether their relative has lived or died years after they set themselves on fire.

The report, ‘Tibetan survivors of self-immolation: repression and disappearance’ documents cases of 20 Tibetans who survived self-immolation in Tibet, and three in exile. One hundred and thirty-seven Tibetans have set themselves on fire in the PRC since 2009, and seven in exile, representing one of the biggest waves of self-immolation as political protest in the last 60 years. Please click here to view the report.

Thousands of Tibetans and Tibet supporters gather in Paris for rally

ICT joined thousands of Tibetans and their supporters from across Europe gathering in Paris for a major rally on March 14, 2015, to demonstrate solidarity with the Tibetan freedom struggle and the Dalai Lama in his 80th year. The Paris Declaration which was presented at the rally –attended by Mr Robert Badinter, former Minister of Justice in the French government and former President of the Constitutional Council – called upon European leaders to support the Tibetan people against oppression. For more please see our report.

China responds to ICT at the UN, denying their violation of religious freedom in Tibet

The Chinese government gave a direct response in Geneva last night defending its policies on religion in Tibet, in response to a statement delivered by ICT President Matteo Mecacci on behalf of the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights at the UN Human Rights Council.

A Chinese government representative defended the official Party line in response to the statement, saying that “All types of religious activity proceed normally in Tibet” and that religious freedom was fully respected. For video of their statement, please click here.

19-year-old monk arrested following solitary protest in Ngaba

Lobsang Kelsang, a monk from Kirti monastery, was arrested earlier this week after walking down the main street in Ngaba carrying a picture of the Dalai Lama and calling for freedom. His protest is the latest in a series of such demonstrations which have taken place lately in the Ngaba and Kardze regions of Tibet. Sources told Radio Free Asia that his current status and whereabouts are unknown- please see this RFA story for more.

Tibetans ask Chinese authorities: “Why can’t we travel abroad?”

High Peaks Pure Earth has translated an internet posting by a young Tibetan writer named Pema Norzin. In the post she asks why Tibetans living in the Tibet Autonomous Region aren’t allowed to receive passports, and calls upon law enforcement authorities to react to this ‘illegal’ violation of their constitutional rights. For the entire post, and for more context, please read the original High Peaks Pure Earth article.

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